Return to Faculty ListingDiane Slusarski Ph.D.
diane-slusarski
 uiowa eduAssociate Professor of Biological Sciences
Selected Publications M.K. Tayeh, H.-J. Yen, J.S. Beck, C.C. Searby, T.A. Westfall, H. Griesbach, V.C. Sheffield and D. C. Slusarski. 2008. Genetic interaction between Bardet-Biedl syndrome genes and implications for limb patterning. Human Molecular Genetics, In Press. Schneider, I. Houston, D.W., Rebagliati, M.R. and D.C. Slusarski. 2008. Calcium fluxes in dorsal forerunner cells antagonize β-catenin and alter left-right patterning. Development, 135: 75-84. (This article was a feature in “In this Issue” Development, 135: 103) C.M. Freisinger, I. Schneider, T.A. Westfall and D.C. Slusarski. 2008. Calcium dynamics integrated into signaling pathways that influence vertebrate axial patterning. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 363: 1377–1385. doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.2255. (Journal Cover). M.V. Nachury, A.V. Loktev, Q. Zhang, C.J. Westlake, J. Peränen, A. Merdes, D.C. Slusarski, R.H. Scheller, J.F. Bazan, V.C. Sheffield, and P.K. Jackson. 2007. A Core Complex of BBS Proteins Cooperates with the GTPase Rab8 to Promote Ciliary Membrane Biogenesis. Cell, 129: 1201-1213. (Journal Cover). D.C. Slusarski and F. Pelegri. 2007. Calcium signaling in vertebrate patterning and morphogenesis. Developmental Biology, 307: 1-13 Y. Harada, C. Yokota, R. Habas, D.C. Slusarski, and X. He. 2007. Retinoic Acid-Inducible G Protein-Coupled Receptors Bind to Frizzled Receptors and May Activate Non-canonical Wnt Signaling. Biochemical And Biophysical Research Communications, 358: 968-975. Y. Zhang, J. R. Yeh, A. Mara, R. Ju, J. Hines, P. Cirone, H.L. Greisbach, I. Schneider, D. C. Slusarski, S. A. Holley, and C. M. Crews. 2006 A Chemical Genetic Approach to the Mode of Action of Fumagillin. Chemistry & Biology, 13: 1001-1009. (Journal Cover). A. P. Chiang, J. S. Beck, H-J Yen, M. K. Tayeh, T. E. Scheetz, R. Swiderski, D. Nishimura, T. A. Braun, K-Y Kim, J. Huang, K. Elbedour, R. Carmi, D. C. Slusarski, T. L. Casavant, E. M. Stone, and V. C. Sheffield. 2006. Homozygosity Mapping with SNP Arrays Identifies TRIM32, an E3 Ubiquitin Ligase, as a Bardet-Biedl Syndrome gene (BBS11). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(16):6287-92. H-J. Yen, M. Tayeh, R.F. Mullins, E. M. Stone, V. C. Sheffield and D. C. Slusarski. 2006. Bardet-Biedl Syndrome Genes are Important in Retrograde Intracellular Trafficking and Kupffer's Vesicle Cilia Function. Human Molecular Genetics, 15: 667-77. (Journal Cover). Westfall, T. A., Twedt, J., Olberding, A., Brimeyer, R., Gladon, J., Furutani-Seiki, M. and Slusarski, D. C. 2003. Wnt-5/pipetail functions in vertebrate axis formation as a negative regulator of Wnt/ß-catenin activity. The Journal of Cell Biology, 162: 889-898. Westfall, T., Hjertos, B., and Slusarski, D. C. 2003. Mechanisms of Calcium Modulation Underlying Dorsal-Ventral Patterning in Zebrafish. Developmental Biology, 259: 380-391. Veeman, T., Slusarski, D. C., Kaykas, A, Louie, S. H. and R. T. Moon. 2003. Zebrafish Prickle, a modulator of non-canonical Wnt/Fz signaling, regulates gastrulation movements. Current Biology, 13:8:680-685. Sheldahl, L. C., Slusarski D. C., Pandur, P., Miller, J. R., Kühl, M., and R. T. Moon. 2003. Overlapping Wnt/Ca2+ and Planar Cell Polarity Pathways: Dishevelled Activates Ca2+, PKC, and CamKII Signaling. Journal of Cell Biology, 161, 4:769-77. Ahumada, A., Slusarski, D. C., Liu, X., Moon, R. T., Malbon, C. C. and H-y Wang. 2002. Signaling of Rat Frizzled-2 through Phosphodiesterase and Cyclic Guanosine 3', 5'-monophosphate. Science, 298: 2006-2010. Liu, X., Liu, T., Slusarski, D. C., Yang-Snyder, J., Malbon, C. C., Moon, R. T. and Wang, H-y. 1999. A Frizzled 2/ß2-Adrenergic Receptor Chimera Activates Wnt-Signaling and Differentiation of Mouse F9 Teratocarcinoma Cells to Primitive Endoderm In Response to Isoprenaline. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 96: 14383-14388. |
Our research focuses on cell-cell signaling events that lead to intracellular calcium release. We integrate in vivo image analysis coupled with molecular-genetic tools to elucidate the role of calcium-dependent signaling networks critical in developmental processes such as body plan formation and organogenesis in the zebrafish. The zebrafish model system for vertebrate developmental biology has many attributes including genetics, rapid development and translucent embryos. We defined a class of Wnt signaling ligands that modulate intracellular calcium release and are investigating the mechanisms by which this Wnt/calcium class mediates its biological effect on the developing embryo. As inappropriate Wnt signaling has been associated with a high frequency of tumors, we are also investigating spontaneous tumor formation in genetic backgrounds that disrupt the function of Wnt/calcium class ligands. Additionally, we have determined that the calcium release requires G-protein signaling. To identify potential intracellular regulators of calcium release dynamics, we are characterizing members of the regulators of G-protein signaling protein family. We have cloned and characterized a few members of the RGS family and find they have essential roles in sensory neuron and somite patterning. Due to the remarkable conservation of developmental processes and mechanisms among vertebrates, we also use zebrafish as a model for human disease and test candidate genes. Of note are studies involving retinal degeneration and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome.